School principals are robbing parents with exorbitant uniform costs, a lobby has said.
The Kenya Parents Association says there is a need to regulate the uniform industry to avoid extortion of parents.
Association chairman Nicholas Maiyo said a dangerous path has been created for unscrupulous principals to profiteer from parents on account of school uniform purchase.
Currently, the government only offers guidance to schools on how to consider uniform costs.
But Maiyo said on Thursday that they will petition the Education ministry and Parliament to make a policy to rein in the uniform industry.
Guidelines on fabric and a ceiling on the cost, Maiyo said, could release the burden on parents.
“It can't be right that going back to school breaks the bank for some families. Too many families struggle to make ends meet over the expensive back to school preparation every year,” Maiyo told the Star on the phone.
The lobby said there is clear evidence that the costs to families are rising as schools become more demanding.
A proposal to have one uniform for schools countrywide fronted by the parents association received heavy criticism.
Most critics said schools risked losing their identity.
Maiyo warned about a trend where many schools insist on students buying uniforms only from certain specialist shops that are costly.
This means they are unable to take advantage of cheaper offers in supermarkets.
"With an increase in the number of academies and free schools in the offing, we want to see firmer guidance from the government so that children don't miss out and parents don't dread their children going back to school," Maiyo said.
It is perceived that uniform displaying the school logo is important but has been an easy avenue to justify overpricing according to the parent’s lobby.
Basic Education PS Belio Kipsang on Wednesday asked principals to minimise the cost of school uniforms children must have to attend secondary school.
Kipsang said children should not be denied access to secondary education because the cost of uniform was high.
The PS made the remarks after enrolling two students who had not joined Form 1 into Nkaimurunya Mixed Secondary School in Kajiado North subcounty.
